Audio apparatus

ABSTRACT

An audio apparatus includes a network interface, a receiver, at least one storage, and at least one processor. The processor is configured to determine that the audio apparatus is in a state capable of communicating with the other audio apparatus via the network interface. The processor is also configured to receive audio data via the receiver transmitted from an external apparatus different from the other audio apparatus. The processor is also configured to output a sound based on the received audio data. The processor is also configured to transmit the sound emission control information stored in the at least one storage to the other audio apparatus. The sound emission control information includes one or more of a sound volume, and a frequency band.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/874,851, filed May 15, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/710,357, filed Sep. 20, 2017, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/098,578, filed Apr. 14,2016, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/875,256,filed Sep. 3, 2010, which claims priority from Japanese Patentapplication no. 2009-205029, filed Sep. 4, 2009, the disclosures ofwhich are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an audio apparatus which performsoutput control between receivers that receive audio data.

JP-A-2006-140824 discloses an audio system in which a sub-woofer is wireconnected to an audio amplifier, an audio signal is transmitted from theaudio amplifier to the sub-woofer, and the sub-woofer extracts andoutputs the low-frequency component of the audio signal.

The audio amplifier of the audio system is provided with a sub-wooferpower button for controlling the power supply of the sub-woofer from theside of the audio amplifier. When the sub-woofer power button is pressedby the user, the audio amplifier combines the audio signal with ahigh-frequency signal which is higher in frequency than the audio signalof the audible range, and outputs the resulting combined signal to thesub-woofer. The sub-woofer extracts a low-frequency audio signal fromthe combined signal, and extracts also a high-frequency componentsignal, whereby switching the ON/OFF states of the power supply.

As described above, an operation in which a receiver is controlled fromthe transmitter side, such as that in which the ON/OFF states of thepower supply for the sub-woofer that is the reception side is switchedby the audio amplifier that is a transmitter of audio data is usuallyperformed.

In the case where a plurality of receivers receive the same audio dataand simultaneously output the data, for example, the volumes and rangesof the sounds output by the receivers must be adjusted in a wellbalanced manner. For example, the case where one receiver handles L- andR-channels, and another receiver is in charge of the function of asub-woofer is considered. Adjustments of the sound volume and the bandare necessary between the receivers. In such a case, when aconfiguration where an operation button for controlling the receivers isdisposed in a transmitter and the control is performed through thebutton is employed as in the above-described related art, the receiversrequire individual adjustments, respectively, and such adjustments arecumbersome.

Summary

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an audio apparatuswhich can automatically control the output state of audio data amongreceivers.

In order to achieve the object, according to the invention, there isprovided an audio apparatus comprising: a receiver which receives audiodata transmitted by a broadcast method from an external apparatus; asound emitter which performs sound emission of the audio data receivedby the receiver; a generator which generates sound emission controlinformation relating to sound emission of other apparatus which canreceive the audio data; and a transmitter which transmits the soundemission control information generated by the generator to the otherapparatus.

The audio apparatus may further include: a detector which detectsconnection with the other apparatus. when the detector detects theconnection with the other apparatus by the detector, the generator maygenerate the sound emission control information.

According to the invention, there is also provided an audio apparatuscomprising: a data receiver which receives audio data transmitted by abroadcast method from an external apparatus; a control informationreceiver which receives sound emission control information relating tosound emission of the audio data, from other apparatus which can receivethe audio data; and a sound emitter which emits the audio data receivedby the data receiver, in accordance with the sound emission controlinformation received by the control information receiver.

According to the invention, there is also provided an audio apparatuscomprising: a receiver which receives audio data transmitted by abroadcast method from a first apparatus; a sound emitter which performssound emission of the audio data received by the receiver; a generatorwhich generates sound emission control information relating to soundemission of a second apparatus which can receive the audio data; and atransmitter which specifies the second apparatus and transmits the soundemission control information generated by the generator to the secondapparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of anaudio system which is an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a speaker apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 3A is a view showing a data example of set information in the casewhere sound emission is performed only by the speaker apparatus, andFIG. 3B is a view showing a data example of set information in the casewhere sound emission is performed by the speaker apparatus and asub-woofer apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a configuration example of a command in theembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the sub-woofer apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a communication apparatus in theembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the operation flow of the audio system of theembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Summary

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an audio system which is an embodiment. Asshown in FIG. 1, the audio system 1 includes a speaker apparatus 20, asub-woofer apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as SW) 30 which emits alow-frequency sound, and a communication apparatus 40. These apparatuseshave a communication function. A wireless link is established betweenthe communication apparatus 40 and the speaker apparatus 20, and betweenthe communication apparatus 40 and the SW 30.

The communication apparatus 40 is configured by a portable audioapparatus 41 and communication module 42 which are detachable from eachother. When the portable audio apparatus 41 is attached to thecommunication module 42, the communication module 42 packetizes audiodata such as a music piece which is output from the portable audioapparatus 41, then transmits a stream of the data by a broadcast methodthrough the communication module 42. The speaker apparatus 20 and the SW30 receive the audio data output from the communication apparatus 40,and emits a sound in accordance with a volume value and sound rangewhich are preset.

In reception of audio data, the speaker apparatus 20 establishes awireless link with the SW 30 to be wirelessly connected thereto, andtransmits to the SW 30 a sound emission control command including soundemission control information instructing about a volume value andreproduction band which are used in the SW 30. In accordance with thesound emission control command transmitted from the speaker apparatus20, the SW 30 emits the audio data received from the communicationapparatus 40. Hereinafter, these apparatuses will be described indetail.

<Configuration>

(Configuration of Speaker Apparatus 20)

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the speaker apparatus 20. Hereinafter,portions shown in FIG. 2 will be described. A wireless communicatingportion 211 performs wireless communication with another apparatus undercontrol of a communication controlling portion 212. The wirelesscommunicating portion 211 detects another apparatuses which iscommunication connectable in a communication range according to thestrength of a radio wave, and establishes a wireless link at thephysical layer level. When a wireless link with the communicationapparatus 40 is established and a communicable state is obtained, thewireless communicating portion 211 receives audio stream datatransmitted from the communication apparatus 40, and sends the data tothe communication controlling portion 212.

The communication controlling portion 212 has functions of, undercontrol of a controlling portion 214, controlling the wirelesscommunicating portion 211 so as to perform various communicationprocesses such as establishment of a wireless link with anotherapparatus, cutoff of the wireless link, and transmission and receptionof data with respect to an apparatus with which a wireless link isestablished, and transmitting the received audio data to a soundprocessing portion 215.

A storage portion 213 is a storage medium such as a nonvolatile memory,and stores the reproduction bands of the present apparatus and the SW30, and also the volume of the sound emission. When the operatoroperates an operating portion 218, the value of the volume is adequatelychanged. Each time when the value is changed, the value is updated andstored in the storage portion 213. Hereinafter, the combination of thereproduction band and the volume is referred to as set information.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show examples of set information in the embodiment. FIG.3A shows a data example of set information in the case where soundemission is performed only by the speaker apparatus 20. As shown in FIG.3A, in the embodiment, the volume value which is currently set by auser's operation, and the reproduction band of the speaker apparatus 20are stored. In this example, “125” is set as the volume value which maybe in the range of from “0” to “255”, and 40 to 33 kHz is set as thereproduction band.

FIG. 3B shows a data example of set information in the case where soundemission is performed by the speaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30. Asshown in FIG. 3B, in this case, the volume values and bands of both thespeaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 are written. With respect to theband, a default value is set, but the band can be changed by a user'soperation.

In the embodiment, an example in which the volume value that isidentical with the volume value of the set information is set in thespeaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 will be described. In the case where,for example, a ratio of the volume value of the SW 30 to that of thespeaker apparatus 20 is previously set, volume values of the speakerapparatus 20 and the SW 30 according to the ratio with respect to thevolume value which is currently set in the speaker apparatus 20 may beset. In the above-described example, the volume and the reproductionband are set. Information relating to the delay time of sound emission,the sound effect, and the like may be included in the set information.

Returning to FIG. 2, the controlling portion 214 includes a CPU (CentralProcessing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random AccessMemory). The CPU has a function of loading a control program stored inthe ROM into the RAM and executing the program, thereby controlling thevarious portions of the speaker apparatus 20. Particularly, thecontrolling portion 214 has a function of, when audio data are receivedfrom the communication apparatus 40, extracting set information of thevolume value and band of the SW 30 stored as the set information, andgiving instructions in the form of a command.

A configuration example of a command used in the embodiment will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a view showing an exampleof the sound emission control command which is transmitted from thespeaker apparatus 20 to the SW 30. As shown in FIG. 4, data of the soundemission control command are configured by, for example, 16 bytes, andinclude a header portion and a command portion.

The header portion includes: an opcode indicating the sequence number ofthe command; the data length of the command data; a destination NodeIDindicating an apparatus to which the command is to be transmitted; and asource NodeID indicating an apparatus from which the command istransmitted. With respect to the destination NodeID and the sourceNodeID, the IDs of the apparatuses are set when data are exchangedbetween the SW 30 and the speaker apparatus 20. In the embodiment, whena wireless link with the communication apparatus 40 is established, thecommunication apparatus 40 allocates these IDs as IDs for identifyingthe apparatuses.

The command portion includes an apparatus ID, a control ID, and a dataportion of Data 0, . . . , Data 6. In the apparatus ID, informationindicating the apparatus kind of the SW is set. In the control ID,information indicating the substance of the command, such asnotification of a change of the volume value, and instructions forsetting the band are set. In the data portion, data of contents whichare instructed by commands corresponding to the command IDs are set.

Returning to FIG. 2, the description of the configuration of the speakerapparatus 20 is continued. The sound processing portion 215 isconfigured by a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and the like, and hasfunctions of, under control of the controlling portion 214, performing asound process such as extraction of audio data corresponding to thereproduction band of the speaker apparatus 20 from audio datatransmitted from the communication controlling portion 212, on the basisof the sound emission control information of the speaker apparatus 20,DA converting the extracted data, and sending the resulting data to anamplifying portion 216.

The amplifying portion 216 amplifies the audio signal output from thesound processing portion 215, and outputs the amplified signal to asound emitting portion 217. In the embodiment, in the sound emittingportion 217, a speaker array is configured by a plurality of speakers,and sound beams corresponding to channels of the audio signal areoutput.

The operating portion 218 has operating devices (including buttons,knobs, and switches) for inputting user instructions, and outputs anoperation signal corresponding to a user's operation on the operatingdevices. When the user operates a knob for adjusting the volume, forexample, the volume which is currently set in the speaker apparatus 20can be changed. A displaying portion 219 has a function of, undercontrol of the controlling portion 214, displaying a menu screen foroperating the speaker apparatus 20, a setting screen for changing setinformation, and the like. Next, the configuration of the SW 30 will bedescribed.

(Configuration of SW 30)

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the SW 30.Similarly with the above-described wireless communicating portion 211, awireless communicating portion 311 has a function of, under control of acommunication controlling portion 312, performing wireless communicationwith another apparatus.

Similarly with the above-described communication controlling portion212, the communication controlling portion 312 has a function ofcontrolling various communication processes performed by the wirelesscommunicating portion 311. A sound processing portion 313 has a functionof, based on the reproduction band set in the SW 30, performing a soundprocess such as extraction of low-frequency audio data from audio datatransmitted from the wireless communicating portion 311, and sending theprocessed audio data to a sound emitting portion 314.

The sound emitting portion 314 has: an amplifying circuit whichamplifies a musical sound waveform signal of the audio data output fromthe sound processing portion 313, at an amplification factorcorresponding to the set volume value; and a speaker which emits theamplified musical sound waveform signal.

(Configuration of Communication Apparatus 40)

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communicationapparatus 40. As shown in FIG. 6, the communication apparatus 40includes the portable audio apparatus 41 and the communication module42. The portable audio apparatus 41 is supplied with an electric powerfrom a power supplying portion (not shown) such as a battery, andconnected to the communication module 42 through interfaces 416, 421.The embodiment is configured so that, when the communication module 42is connected to the portable audio apparatus 41, the module is suppliedwith an electric power from a power supplying portion (not shown) in theportable audio apparatus 41. Alternatively, a battery for supplying apower to the portions in the communication module 42 may be disposed inthe communication module 42. Hereinafter, the portions of theapparatuses will be described.

The portable audio apparatus 41 includes a controlling portion 411, astorage portion 412, an operating portion 413, a displaying portion 414,a sound outputting portion 415, and the interface 416. The controllingportion 411 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU has a function ofreading a control program from the ROM into the RAM, and executing theprogram to control the portions of the portable audio apparatus 41.Specifically, when the communication module 42 is connected to theinterface 416, audio data which are selected by the user from the audiodata in the storage portion 412 described later are sent to theinterface 416, and then output to the communication module 42.

The storage portion 412 is a storage unit such as a hard disk or anonvolatile memory, and stores information such as contents data, forexample, music pieces and videos, and the volume value in reproductionof contents. The operating portion 413 has an operating device which isto be operated by the user, and a function of, in accordance with auser's operation on the operating device, sending a signal indicative ofcontents of the operation to the controlling portion 411. For example,the operating device is a rotationally operable operating device or thelike. When the operating device is clockwise rotated, it may beinstructed to increase the volume value, and, when the operating deviceis counterclockwise rotated, it may be instructed to decrease the volumevalue.

The displaying portion 414 is configured by a display device such as anLCD, and has a function of, under control of the controlling portion411, displaying an image such as a motion picture or a still picture.The sound outputting portion 415 has a connecting terminal to which asound emitting unit such as a headphone is connected, and has a functionof outputting the audio signal supplied from the controlling portion411, through the sound emitting unit. The interface 416 is a connectingterminal to which an external apparatus such as the communication module42 is connected to mediate the data that are exchanged with the externalapparatus.

Next, the configuration of the communication module 42 will bedescribed. The communication module 42 includes the interface 421, awireless communicating portion 422, and a communication controllingportion 423.

The wireless communicating portion 422 and the communication controllingportion 423 have functions which are similar to those of the wirelesscommunicating portion 211 and communication controlling portion 212 ofthe speaker apparatus 20 that have been described above, and also afunction of performing wireless communication with an externalapparatus.

Similarly with the interface 416 of the portable audio apparatus 41, theinterface 421 is a connecting terminal to which an external apparatus isconnected to mediate exchange of data with the connected apparatus. Inthe embodiment, the interface is connected to the portable audioapparatus 41, receives audio data from the portable audio apparatus 41,and sends the data to the wireless communicating portion 422.

<Operation>

Next, the operation of the audio system 1 of the embodiment will bedescribed. The communication apparatus 40, the speaker apparatus 20, andthe SW 30 are powered ON, and the communication apparatus 40 transmits amaster request for functioning as a master by a broadcast method. Thespeaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 search whether the master is withinthe communication range or not, and, when receiving the master requestfrom the communication apparatus 40, a link is established with thecommunication apparatus 40.

Then, the communication module 42 of the communication apparatus 40allocates IDs for respectively identifying the speaker apparatus 20 andthe SW 30 to the apparatuses, and transmits a connection request signalcontaining the allocated IDs and an ID for identifying the communicationmodule 42. The speaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 store the respectiveallocated IDs into the own apparatuses, and transmit a signal reply tothe connection request signal to the communication apparatus 40.Therefore, wireless communications between the communication apparatus40 and the speaker apparatus 20, and the communication apparatus 40 andthe SW 30 are enabled, and the state transits to that where a stream ofaudio data can be transmitted from the communication apparatus 40 to thespeaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30. When, in the portable audioapparatus 41, audio data are selected by a user's operation andreproduction instructions are issued, transmission of a stream of theaudio data from the communication apparatus 40 to the speaker apparatus20 and the SW 30 is started.

Hereinafter, the operations which are performed by the speaker apparatus20 and the SW 30 in the above-described state will be described withreference to the operation flow of FIG. 7.

The speaker apparatus 20 sequentially receives the audio data from thecommunication apparatus 40, extracts audio data corresponding to thereproduction band according to the set information which is stored inthe storage portion 213, and DA converts the extracted data to generatean audio signal. The amplifying portion 216 amplifies the audio signalat an amplification factor corresponding to the volume value which isset in the set information, and sends the amplified signal to the soundemitting portion 217. In this case, the reproduction band is determinedon the basis of the set information shown in FIG. 3A, and hence emissionof audio data of intermediate/high frequency band is started (step S11).

On the other hand, similarly with the speaker apparatus 20, also in theSW 30, the audio data from the communication apparatus 40 aresequentially received, low-frequency audio data are extracted from thereceived audio data in the sound processing portion 313, and the audiosignal is amplified at an amplification factor which is preset, andemitted from the sound emitting portion 314 (step S21). Therefore, theSW 30 emits the low-frequency audio data. The band in this case is adefault band which is preset in the SW 30. Alternatively, the band whichis set in the previous setting may be used in place of the default band.

On the other hand, the controlling portion 214 of the speaker apparatus20 controls the communication controlling portion 212 to output adetection signal for detecting the SW 30 which can be wirelesslyconnected, from the wireless communicating portion 211 (step S12). Thedetection signal contains information indicative of the ID of thespeaker apparatus 20.

If the SW 30 receives the detection signal which is transmitted in stepS12 from the speaker apparatus 20 through the wireless communicatingportion 311 (step S22: YES), in response to the detection signal, the SW30 transmits a reply signal containing information indicative of the IDallocated to the SW 30, to the speaker apparatus 20 (step S23). As aresult of the process, the speaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 are in thestate where wireless communication is enabled.

If the controlling portion 214 of the speaker apparatus detects thereply signal from the SW 30, or if the SW 30 is detected (step S13:YES), the controlling portion extracts information relating to the SWfrom the set information which is stored in the storage portion 213, andwhich is shown in FIG. 3B, and generates the sound emission controlinformation (step S14).

The controlling portion 214 determines whether the set information ischanged or not (step S15). If the user performs an operation of changingthe setting of the volume or the like through the operating portion 218(step S15: YES), for example, the control returns to step S14, the setinformation is updated, and the sound emission control information isgenerated from the updated set information.

If the set information is not changed, or if, after updation of the setinformation, the set information is not again changed (step S15: NO),the control proceeds to step S16. In this case, a sound emission controlcommand in which, in the command of FIG. 4, the ID allocated to the SW30 is set as the destination NodeID, information indicative ofinstructions for setting the band is set as the control ID, and thesound emission control information indicative of the band of the SW 30is set in the data portion is generated, and the generated command istransmitted to the SW 30. If the volume value is changed, also a soundemission control command in which information indicating notification ofa change of the volume value is set as the control ID, and the soundemission control information indicative of the volume value of the SW 30is set in the data portion is generated, and the generated command istransmitted to the SW 30 (step S16).

The controlling portion 214 controls the sound processing portion 215 soas to attain the band and volume corresponding to the set informationshown in FIG. 3B. As a result, an audio signal of a band and a volumewhich are set in accordance with the case where the SW exists is emittedfrom the speaker apparatus 20 (step S17).

On the other hand, if the communication controlling portion 312 of theSW 30 receives the sound emission control command from the speakerapparatus 20 through the wireless communicating portion 311 (step S24:YES), the communication controlling portion sends the received soundemission control command to the sound processing portion 313. In thesound processing portion 313, audio data of the band instructed by thesound emission control command are extracted from audio data which aresequentially received through the wireless communicating portion 311,and the musical sound waveform signal of the audio data is amplified atan amplification factor corresponding to the volume value instructed inthe sound emission control command, and then output from the soundemitting portion 314 (step S25).

If, in step S13, the reply signal from the SW 30 cannot be detected andthe SW 30 cannot be detected (step S13: NO), the controlling portion 214of the speaker apparatus 20 continues the process of step S11, therebycontinuing emission of audio data according to the set information ofthe speaker apparatus 20.

If, in step S22, the detection signal is not received through thewireless communicating portion 311 of the SW 30 (step S22: NO), or if,in step S24, the communication controlling portion 312 of the SW 30 doesnot receive the sound emission control command from the speakerapparatus 20 through the wireless communicating portion 311 (step S24:NO), the process of step S11 is continued, so that the SW 30 emits theaudio signal of the volume and band which are set by default (or in theprevious time).

Alternatively, a mute process may be performed so that sound emission isnot conducted, until “YES” is obtained in step S22.

In the embodiment, as described above, the reproduction band of thespeaker apparatus 20 is automatically switched over depending on whetherthe SW 30 exists or not in the audio system 1, and, in the case whereaudio data transmitted from the communication apparatus 40 are emittedfrom the speaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30, the speaker apparatus 20instructs the SW 30 about control information of the volume and bandrelating to sound emission, whereby the volumes and bands of the speakerapparatus 20 and the SW 30 can be adjusted in a well balanced manner.

<Modifications>

Although the embodiment of the invention has been described, theinvention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includesalso the following modifications.

(1) Although, in the above embodiment, the example in which the speakerapparatus 20 and the SW 30 receive audio data from the communicationapparatus 40 and emit the audio data has been described, audio datawhich are obtained by the speaker apparatus 20 from an apparatus otherthan the communication apparatus 40 may be transmitted to the SW 30. Inan example of such a case, audio data are obtained from a DVD player orthe like which is wire connected to the speaker apparatus 20, and thentransmitted to the SW 30. In the case where the speaker apparatus 20includes a sound source or the like, audio data may be generated in thespeaker apparatus 20 and then transmitted to the SW 30, or audio datawhich are previously stored in the storage portion 213 are read out andthen transmitted to the SW 30.

In the above-described case, the wireless connection between the speakerapparatus 20 and the SW 30 may be performed in the following manner.When an operation of obtaining audio data is performed by user, thecontrolling portion 214 of the speaker apparatus 20 detects the SW 30,and a wireless link with the SW 30 is established. With respect totransmission of the sound emission control command containing the soundemission control information to the SW 30, when the wireless link withthe SW 30 is established, the sound emission control information of thespeaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 is generated in a similar manner asstep S14 of FIG. 7, the sound emission control command containing thesound emission control information is transmitted to the SW 30, and theobtained audio data are packetized and then sequentially transmitted tothe SW 30. In this case, for example, the audio data and the commanddata may be transmitted in a time sharing manner.

(2) Although, in the above embodiment, the example in which, whenreceiving audio data from the communication apparatus 40, the speakerapparatus 20 performs the detection of the SW 30 has been described, thedetection of the SW 30 may be performed before reception of the audiodata, for example, when the wireless link between the speaker apparatus20 and the communication apparatus 40 is established, or when thespeaker apparatus 20 is powered ON.

(3) Although, in the above embodiment, the example in which the commandinstructing about the band and volume value of the sound emission fromthe SW 30 as the sound emission control information is transmitted fromthe speaker apparatus 20 to the SW 30 has been described, at least oneof the band and the volume value may be instructed by a command, or, inaddition to the band and the volume value, control information relatingto sound emission of the SW 30 such as information of a delay time bywhich the sound emission of the SW 30 is delayed from that of thespeaker apparatus 20 may be contained in the command.

(4) Although, in the above embodiment, the example in which receiverswhich receive audio data from the communication apparatus 40 are thespeaker apparatus 20 and the SW 30 has been described, the number ofreceivers may be three or more. In such a case, a master apparatus whichtransmits a command is selected from the receivers, and the masterapparatus which transmits a command detects the other receivers andestablishes a wireless link.

In accordance with set information such as the volume value which is setin the master apparatus, the master apparatus generates sound emissioncontrol information such as volume values of the receivers, andinstructs by a command the other receivers about the sound emissioncontrol information. The master apparatus which transmits a command maybe manually selected by a user's operation, or automatically selected bya predetermined algorithm in which a receiver is determined whether itbehaves as a mater apparatus or not, in accordance with the number orkinds of apparatuses that are wire connected to the receiver, orfunctions of the receiver.

(5) Although, in the above embodiment, the example in which, when thespeaker apparatus 20 detects the SW 30, the command containing soundemission control information in which the ID of the detected SW 30 isset is transmitted has been described, the process of detecting the SW30 may not be performed, and a sound emission control command in whichinformation indicative of an apparatus that can receive audio data isset in an apparatus ID may be transmitted by a broadcast method. In thiscase, when information set in the apparatus ID of the sound emissioncontrol command which is transmitted by a broadcast method indicates adevice of the present apparatus, the sound emission control command isreceived, and audio data received from the communication apparatus 40are emitted in accordance with the sound emission control command.

(6) Although, in the above embodiment, the example in which, the speakerapparatus 20 establishes a wireless link with the SW 30 to be wirelesslyconnected thereto has been described, the speaker apparatus 20 and theSW 30 may be wire connected to each other. Also, the communicationapparatus 40 and the speaker apparatus 20 may be wire connected to eachother, and the communication apparatus 40 and the SW 30 may be wireconnected to each other.

According to an aspect of the invention, the present apparatus canreceive and emit the audio stream data transmitted from the externalapparatus, and can control sound emission of the other apparatus whichcan receive the audio stream data.

According to an aspect of the invention, the sound emission can becontrolled while surely specifying the other apparatus which can receivethe audio stream data.

According to an aspect of the invention, sound emission can be performedin accordance with the control by the other apparatus which can receivethe audio stream data received by the present apparatus.

1. An audio apparatus comprising: a receiver which receives audio datatransmitted from an external apparatus; a sound emitter which performssound emission of the audio data received by the receiver; a detectorwhich detects connection with other apparatus before the receiverreceives the audio data transmitted from the external apparatus; acommunicator which performs the connection with the other apparatus; agenerator which generates sound emission control information relating tosound emission of the other apparatus in case the communicator is in theconnection with the other apparatus; and a transmitter which transmitsthe sound emission control information generated by the generator to theother apparatus, wherein the sound emission control information includesset information on at least one of band and volume.
 2. The audioapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector detects theconnection with the other apparatus in a case where the communicatorestablishes a wireless link with the other apparatus.
 3. The audioapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector detects theconnection with the other apparatus in a case where the audio apparatusis powered on.
 4. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thegenerator updates the set information in response to an operation ofchanging the set information, and generates the sound emission controlinformation based on the updated set information.
 5. The audio apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein response to change of a value of thevolume, the generator generates a sound emission control command basedon the changed value of the volume and transmits the sound emissioncontrol command to the other apparatus.
 6. A method for audio processingcomprising the steps of: receiving, by a receiver, audio datatransmitted from an external apparatus; performing, by a sound emitter,sound emission of the audio data received by the receiver; detecting, bya detector, connection with other apparatus before the receiver receivesthe audio data transmitted from the external apparatus; performing, by acommunicator, the connection with the other apparatus; generating, agenerator, sound emission control information relating to sound emissionof the other apparatus in a case where the communicator is in theconnection with the other apparatus; and transmitting, by a transmitter,the sound emission control information generated by the generator to theother apparatus, wherein the sound emission control information includesset information on at least one of band and volume.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 6, wherein in the detecting process, the connectionwith the other apparatus is detected in a case where the communicatorestablishes a wireless link with the other apparatus.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 6, wherein in the detecting process, the connectionwith the other apparatus is detected in a case where the audio apparatusis powered on.
 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein in thegenerating process, the set information in response to an operation ofchanging the set information is updated, and the sound emission controlinformation is generated based on the updated set information.
 10. Themethod according to claim 6, wherein in response to change of a value ofthe volume, a sound emission control command is generated based on thechanged value of the volume and the sound emission control command istransmitted to the other apparatus.